NHRC sets up 7-member panel to probe post-poll violence in West Bengal

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Monday set up a seven-member committee headed by its member Rajiv Jain to enquire into complaints of post-poll violence in West Bengal hours after the Calcutta High Court rejected a plea by the Mamata Banerjee government to recall its order on setting up such a mechanism.

Besides Jain, the other members of the panel include National Commission for Minorities Vice Chairperson Atif Rasheed, National Commission for Women member Dr Rajulben L Desai and NHRC Director General (Investigation) Santosh Mehra.

The other members are West Bengal State Human Rights Commission Registrar Pradip Kumar Panja, West Bengal State Legal Services Authority Member Secretary Raju Mukherjee and NHRC DIG (Investigation) Manzil Saini.

The panel will examine all cases of post-poll violence in West Bengal, complaints for which have already been received in the NHRC and West Bengal State Legal Services Authority, or which may be received by them in the future.

Read | HC dismisses Bengal govt's plea, NHRC to probe post-poll violence

The panel will visit the affected areas and submit a comprehensive report to the Calcutta High Court about the present situation and also steps to be taken to ensure confidence of the people that they can peacefully live in their houses and also carry on their occupation or business to earn their livelihood.

"The Committee shall also point out the persons, prima-facie, responsible for crime and the officers who maintained calculated silence on the issue. The Committee is scheduled to start its inquiry process immediately," the NHRC said in a statement.

The West Bengal government received a setback on Monday when the High Court refused to recall its order directing the NHRC to examine all cases of human rights violations in post-poll violence in the state.

The state government had on June 18 directed the NHRC to probe post-poll violence after taking note of a report submitted by Mukherjee, the Member Secretary of West Bengal State Legal Services Authority, in which it was said 3,243 persons were reported to be affected till noon of June 10.

The BJP targeted the ruling Trinamool Congress following the latest High Court order saying the West Bengal government stands "admonished and shamed" by the court.